SHC seeks progress report on action taken against mafia forcing children into beggary

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has directed the police to submit a progress report on cases involving child beggary that had been charge-sheeted after they were registered at the police stations of Karachi and other districts of province, and explain what action they had taken against the mafia involved in the beggary of children.

The direction came on a petition seeking implementation of the Sindh Child Protection Authority law in the province to protect the rights of children and save them from domestic violence.

Petitioner Natasha Lakhani had submitted that thousands of street children were roaming in the city and several were being used in criminal activities, begging and other anti-social activities.

The court on a previous hearing had directed a provincial law officer to call a report from the police department including details of action taken against the mafia involved in the beggary of children as the social welfare department had submitted that various cases had been lodged against such culprits.

Police officers had submitted that in many cases, investigations were being carried out and they would submit a progress report on the next date of hearing, which would include information about investigations, challans and arrests in the said FIRs.

The Sindh Child Protection Authority director general had submitted that as many as 92 complaints had been forwarded to the police department in different districts for lodging FIRs. He had also submitted that a shelter home for street children was being constructed on 10 acres in Korangi wherein at least 300 such children would be accommodated.

The SHC was also informed that another building was being constructed in Malir where at least 100 children would be accommodated, while three similar institutions had already been running in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur.

To a question raised by the high court about when the buildings of Korangi and Malir would be completed, the Sindh Child Protection Authority DG replied that the building in Malir had been completed, whereas, the building in Korangi would be completed in June, 2021.

A division bench of the SHC headed by Justice Mohammmad Ali Mazhar directed the police to submit a progress report on action taken against persons involved in the beggary of children by January 27.